Weapons firing selectivity

[cactus42]

Reading an excerpt from another random post, I was wondering if US/Allied /or Axis aircraft (single-seat fighters mainly) allowed their pilot the ability to select a particular amount of weapons he was using? For example, could a pilot use only four out of eight .50 cal guns; could he select the number of guns firing...maybe to conserve ammo or not to burn the barrels out by alternating them? Is this something the pilot could actually have the time or the frame of of mind to even think about in the heat of battle? I'm pretty sure Luftwaffe pilots could use the propeller-firing cannon and wing guns exclusively. Can someone elighten us (me)?

 

[Sweb]

Reading an excerpt from another random post, I was wondering if US/Allied /or Axis aircraft (single-seat fighters mainly) allowed their pilot the ability to select a particular amount of weapons he was using? For example, could a pilot use only four out of eight .50 cal guns; could he select the number of guns firing...maybe to conserve ammo or not to burn the barrels out by alternating them? Is this something the pilot could actually have the time or the frame of of mind to even think about in the heat of battle? I'm pretty sure Luftwaffe pilots could use the propeller-firing cannon and wing guns exclusively. Can someone elighten us (me)?

The Corsair had this feature. It had a Master Arming switch and then 6 individual gun solenoid arming switches.

 

[Marcogrifo]

Also italian fighters had the possibility to fire MGs and guns individually: MGs were selected with a two position trigger on hand grip, while guns can be escluded switching off their master switches.

Cheers

 

[Deanimator]

Typically Japanese pilots could fire cannons and rifle caliber machineguns separately. It was common for Zero pilots to get the range with their 7.7mm guns, then use their 20mm cannon.

 

[vikingBerserker]

I think the P-38 could fire it's machine guns seperatly from the cannon as well as there is a "Cannon" button on the control stick.

 

[michaelmaltby]

P-39 allowed pilots to select cannon for MG's - at least one Russian P-39 ace had all his wired to one switch.

MM